Do Leaders Want To Be Drivers Or Inspirational?

When motivating others, are leaders more effective at pushing (driving hard for results) or pulling (inspiring and motivating others)? To determine the answer, I examined Zenger Folkman’s global data and discovered 77% of leaders in our database were rated by others as being more effective at pushing than pulling. I assumed these results meant that leaders want to push more than they want to pull.

To prove my assumption, my colleague Jack Zenger and I created a self-assessment that measured a leader’s preference for pushing or pulling. However, our small random sample of 237 leaders had a different response than we expected. 78% preferred pulling rather than pushing—almost the complete opposite of the results on effectiveness. While the data collection is ongoing, this initial finding suggests that while most leaders want to be inspiring, they end up being better at driving for results.

Why are people more effective at pushing?

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In a conversation with my daughter about this data she said, “Well, of course I want to inspire, but I also need to get things done—and it’s quicker to push than to figure out how to pull.” Most people whom we looked up to as role models—parents, teachers, managers, etc.— pushed more than pulled, and we learned from them. To a large extent the importance of inspiration is more of an issue today than it has been in the past. My parents worked because they needed money to live and support their family. They didn’t expect to be inspired; they did what they needed to do simply because it was expected of them. Even though people today want to be inspirational, they continue to be better at pushing others to deliver results.

Which is better, pushing or pulling?

We discovered that both pushing and pulling have a positive impact on leaders’ overall effectiveness. The graph below is based on data from 87,622 global leaders. It demonstrates the fundamental point that doing both well is the most effective approach—and but doing one well is better than not doing either at all. The good news is that most leaders are fairly effective at pushing and want to be more inspiring.

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Attitudes and beliefs that influence pushing and pulling

Attitudes and beliefs impact what people do and how they behave. Our initial data gathering from the preference assessment showcased some interesting attitudes and beliefs that influence a person’s preference for pushing or pulling. The graph below shows the items those who preferred pulling tended to agree with significantly more.

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Note that these items reflect both an ability to inspire and a positive, highly-engaged environment where people are recognized, rewarded, and satisfied with their jobs. They also indicate the positive influence of working with peers who are highly engaged.

The graph below shows the items those who preferred pushing tended to agree with significantly more.

ZFCO

These items indicate the correlation between a person’s pace and preference to drive with the impact of goals, deadlines, and accountability. Most people can relate to improving their performance when someone pushes them to do more, sets a deadline, and holds them accountable. The sense of accomplishment that people have from getting work done is also connected to a preference for pushing.